2012 National Sportsmanship Awards Honoree: Demetrius de Moors

Last December near Atlanta, Demetrius de Moors competed in the South Metro Wrestling Tournament – Georgia’s oldest and largest high school wrestling contest. The McIntosh High School (Peachtree City, Ga.) wrestler was ready for his next opponent. Competition brackets pitted Demetrius against Michael Lind from host Union Grove High School. This match would be different than all the others. Michael has Down Syndrome and his coaches were determined to get him a match in the tournament. Demetrius put his pride aside and showed great respect for his fellow competitor and the opposing coaching staff. He allowed Michael to not only score multiple takedowns, but defeat him in the match. An act of such humility and self-sacrifice has its own intrinsic reward, but the fans in attendance did not let Demetrius’ act of sportsmanship go unnoticed. The crowd gave both wrestlers a standing ovation. Michael’s family met Demetrius after the match with tears in their eyes, thanking him for his selflessness. Demetrius graciously took a photo with Michael. In nominating this story to be recognized by the National Sportsmanship Awards, Dijon Lowery, Demetrius’ teammate, noted that he and Demetrius sometimes have their differences. But Dijon summed up the remarkably selfless gesture by saying that Demetrius’ act “taught me a lesson and made me proud to be called a teammate of his."